European Patent Application No. 86 100 459.6, filed on Jan. 15, 1986, discloses a cutting unit for a meat cutting apparatus. The apparatus comprises a stationary table for supporting the meat, which is usually in the form of a block of deep frozen meat, the table having a transverse end edge that forms a counterblade for a vertically reciprocating main blade that extends parallel to the support table end edge. The cutting unit further comprises a plurality of transverse blades. The main blade cuts a slice from the block, and the transverse blades then divide that slice into a plurality of strips. For this purpose, the transverse blades are mounted adjacent that side of the main blade which faces away from the counterblade, and they reciprocate together with the main blade. The transverse blades have free ends which engage the main blade face at the side referred to above and somewhat above its cutting edge. Beneath the transverse blades are stationary slice support members between the paths of movement of the transverse blades.
The disclosure of the above identified European Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference.
The prior art referred to above also includes a stop member which is engaged by the meat block when the meat is advanced beneath the cutting unit. The stop member is mounted at the cutting unit and thus reciprocates vertically therewith. Theoretically, the slice thickness may be varied, but this would involve the dismantling of all transverse blades prior to the readjustment of the stop member followed by the re-assembly of the transverse blades. Accordingly, varying slice thickness is not easily accomplished.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus of the type mentioned above but wherein the slice and strip thickness is readily adjustable without the necessity of disassembling any part of the apparatus.